Names In The Game

LONDON (AP) _ Lennox Lewis wants to fight in front of his hometown fans in London when he defends his WBC heavyweight title in May. The promoter says that is not likely to happen.

Lewis, who won permission Monday to fight No. 4 contender Phil Jackson ahead of No. 1 Oliver McCall, requested the bout be held May 6 at Earls Court.

Promoter Dan Duva immediately threw cold water on that.

″There’s no way the fight will be held in England. It will be held in the United States,″ Duva said Tuesday.

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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Days after signing a record $45.45 million contract, slugger Juan Gonzalez was a no-show at the Texas Rangers awards banquet.

He apparently was back home in Puerto Rico.

Gonzalez, who signed the biggest contract in club history Friday, was not on hand Monday to accept his player of the year award.

The left fielder was scheduled to pick up the top honor for his .310 batting average, 46-homer, 118-RBI season that earned him the huge deal.

Gonzalez’s absence did not go unnoticed.

Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, who was to present the citation, said, ″Give me $45 million and I’ll stay here all week.″

″We’re disappointed that the fans won’t have a chance to congratulate him,″ club president Tom Schieffer said. ″Leadership is by example. To be a leader, you need to show leadership.″

Gonzalez said a traffic jam caused him to miss his plane.

″I am very sorry that I did not make it to Arlington, and I apologize to the Rangers organization, to Reggie Jackson, to Tony Perez, to my teammates, and most of all, to all the fans,″ he said.

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PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh Steelers running back Barry Foster may be able to run on his injured left ankle in three weeks, a doctor said.

Dr. Freddie Fu removed a cast from Foster’s leg last week. He repaired a sheath holding two tendons in the ankle during surgery Dec. 21.

″He has a good range of motion, and he’s walking now,″ said Fu, of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Foster will work out at his Texas home during the rest of February.

″I had a chance to sit down and talk with him,″ coach Bill Cowher said Monday. ″Everything’s progressing as normal. There’s been no indication to this point that there will be any complications.″

Foster was injured Nov. 15 against Buffalo.

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WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) - Former Boston Celtics great Bob Cousy says he raised more than $450,000 and hopes for more donations from a gala he organized where the movie, ″Blue Chips″ had its world premiere.

Shaquille O’Neal, Larry Bird and Cousy appear in the film about basketball. Cousy, who starred at Holy Cross and lives here, came up with the idea of using his film debut as a vehicle to make money for local charities and set about organizing the Monday night world premiere.

He said at least $75,000 will be given to each to Sports Alive, the John S. Laws Institute, the Central Massachusetts Shelter for Homeless Veterans, and the multi-purpose gymnasium at Great Brook Valley.

Organizers said 10 other charities will each get at least $10,000, and a donation will be made to the family of a slain police chief.

Cousy held a pre-screening party at his house, and another was held at Mechanics Hall.

Among those showing up were former Celtics Tom Heinsohn, John Havlicek, Tom Sanders and Dave Cowens.

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LOS ANGELES - A lawsuit brought by a Pittsburgh Steelers fan who was beaten during a football game by a Los Angeles Raiders fan has been settled for an undisclosed amount of money.

Albrecht was attacked during the fourth quarter of the Raiders’ 20-3 victory as he walked in an aisle wearing a Steelers shirt, taunting Raiders fans. Geringer knocked him to the ground and kicked him, police said.

Geringer served a six-month jail term for the assault, which prompted a temporary ban on alcohol at the Coliseum.

Albrecht’s lawyer, John Denove, filed the lawsuit against Geringer; the Los Angeles Raiders; Contemporary Services Corp., a private security guard company contracted for the stadium; Volume Services, the beer distributor; and Spectacor Inc., manager of the Coliseum.

On Monday, Contemporary Services Corp. agreed to pay an undisclosed amount of money without admitting liability. The other defendants, with the exception of Geringer, also agreed to settle without admitting liability.

Albrecht suffered brain damage, a broken jaw and the loss of hearing in one ear. Denove estimated he had $90,000 in medical bills.